MS Dhoni, former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, has returned to India after a vacation in the USA, where images of him attending an American football game recently went viral.
Meanwhile, speculation about his IPL future continues as fans await the official retention rules for the upcoming mega auction. The question remains whether Dhoni will be retained by CSK or enter the auction pool.
According to a report from *The Indian Express*, Dhoni has neither confirmed nor ruled out playing in IPL 2025.
A CSK source mentioned that they are waiting for the BCCI’s announcement on the number of retentions before any decisions can be made.
If Dhoni chooses to play, he could be one of the five players retained by the franchise, potentially under the lowest pay category.
During an IPL Governing Council meeting in August, there was discussion about reinstating the rule allowing teams to retain players who retired from international cricket five years ago as uncapped players, but clarity will only come once the retention rules are finalized.
Fitness concerns also linger for Dhoni, who played IPL 2023 with a knee injury, followed by surgery, and IPL 2024 with a hamstring issue.
He mostly batted in the final overs, managing 161 runs from 73 balls in 11 innings but still achieved his best-ever IPL strike rate of 220.55.
As for other retentions, CSK is expected to retain key players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Matheesha Pathirana, with the latter reportedly agreeing to a new deal. The franchise could face tough decisions on foreign players, including Devon Conway, who could be a key asset as both a batsman and wicketkeeper.
Additionally, CSK might consider retaining New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra or Daryl Mitchell, with Rachin being seen as a potential long-term prospect.